Portable seesaw



M. J. MICHEL 3,472,507

PORTABLE SEESAW 4 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 14, 1969 Filed Nov. 10, 1966 Maurice J Michel INVENTOR.

9 BY an! 29m M. J. MICHEL PORTABLE SEESAW Oct. 14, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 10, 1966 Fig. /0

Maurice J Mic/rel [NI 'ENTUR,

Oct. 14, 1969 M. J. MICHEL 3,472,507

PORTABLE SEESAW Filed Nov. 10, 1966 4 Sheets-sheaf 4 Maurice J Michel INVENTOR.

U; MM 3%? United States Patent 3,472,507 PORTABLE SEESAW Maurice J. Michel, 5973 Canal Blvd., New Orleans, La. 70124 Filed Nov. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 593,419 Int. Cl. A63g 11/00 US. Cl. 272-56 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible V-shaped device having two base boards hingedly connected at their lower ends to form the apex of the V and a laterally extending seat element connected to each base board. Means such as a locking rod extending between the two base boards and a brace arm extending between each base board and its seat element are provided for rigidifying the device thus permitting the accommodation of two seated persons rocking about the inverted apex of the V-shaped device.

This invention generally appertains to improvements in amusement devices of the physical exercising or exertion type and more particularly relates to a novel portable seesaw.

The provision of portable seesaws is known but such devices are unduly mechanically complicated, necessitating high manufacturing and purchasing costs; are unsatisfactory from a safety standpoint in use by children or adults, who have an added weight factor; and are not constructed so that they can be collapsed or folded into a compact unit for ready and easy transportation.

For these reasons, conventional portable seesaws have not met with wide acceptance and, furthermore, known portable seesaws, which may be of a collapsible nature, require complicated mechanical means for erecting them into useful condition and disassembling them for portability aud, furthermore, such known portable or collapsible seesaws have not been able to support persons of large sizes and heavy weights.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide an extremely structurally simple seesaw which, though structurally simple and uncomplicated,

from a standpoint of assembly and disassembly, provides a very satisfactory and safe teetering action'and which can be used by persons, irrespective of size or weight, and which is very compact and built to be collapsible and portable in nature and to function on any supporting surface, whether indoor or outdoor.

. Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable seesaw which can be erected in a matter of seconds without the use of any tools and exercise of any degree of mechanical skill and which, when erected, will function in an extremely safe and satisfactory manner so as to provide a safe and highly satisfactory teetering action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable seesaw which is constructed so that it can be quickly and easily collapsed into a compact unit for carrying and storage purposes.

-Another object of the present invention is to provide aportable seesaw which, when erected into its operating 3,472,507 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 to provide a simple, compact, efficient, lightweight and durable portable seesaw which can be erected from a lightweight portable unit into a safe and efiicient teetering seesaw unit without using any tools.

A meritorious feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an angularly vertically positionable arouate base assembly, for example Vshaped, from which seat supports are horizontally extended and which is provided with hinged connecting or stabilizing members for hinged interconnection between the base assembly and the seat supports and in the provision of means connectible in a bridging fashion between the base assembly and the seat supports so as to maintain the entire seesaw in an erect structural relationship, such means being so orientated and structurally related with the seesaw that it can be attached and detached without the use of any tools, fasteners or any mechanical skill and being so related that it can be easily employed whereby the seesaw can be assembled for use or disassembled for compact, ready and easy transportation or storage.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing the seesaw in an erected and usable condition;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the base structure, taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the connecting means, shown in absence from the seesaw structure;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of the seesaw, shown in an erected condition;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on line 7--7 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevational view showing the seesaw in a collapsed condition for easy portability;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing a modified form of seesaw, in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE, 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the modified form of FIGURE 9;.

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 but showing the seesaw in an adjusted; position;

FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal, horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 12-12 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on line 1313 of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary and detailed sectional view. taken substantially on line 14-14 of FIGURE 12.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, and initially to FIGURES 1 through 8, the seesaw, generally designated by the reference numeral 10 is formed from any plank-like material, such as wooden boards, plastic sheets, metallic sheets or the like and is formed so that it is in the nature of sheet material and, hereinafter, the various components will be referred to as sheet material and it will be understood that such sheet material can be of any type, nature, construction or the like and that such has no critical bearing on the present invention.

The seesaw 10 includes a base structure 12, which is made up or composed of two complementary plate members 14 and 16, the same being adapted to be vertically orientated, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, and, therefore, having lower ends and upper ends and serving as the supporting structure in their base structure function and being vertically orientated so as to achieve such results.

The base plate members 14 and 16 are complemental to each other so as to form a rocker-stand and are provided with inner complemental faces 18 and 20, which faces are adapted to be disposed in confronting relationship when the base structure or rocker st and is in its substantial V-shaped operative vertical relationship with respect to a horizontal supporting surface, as shown in FIGURE 5, which supporting surface can be either an outdoor ground surface or an indoor, more structurally unrelenting surface.

Each of the base plate members 14 and 16 is of identical configuration with each member having a relatively wide lower or base end and tapering upwardly to terminate in relatively narrow upper ends, so that a safe rocker stand, which will not tip or wobble over sideways, is provided by the coacting members 14 and 16 in their V- shaped operative orientation.

The members 14 and 16 are hingedly interconnected by virtue of hinge connections, such as the piano hinge strap arrangements 22 and 24, as shown more particularly in FIGURE 2. A piano-type hinge arrangement, such as the hinges 22 and 24, is preferred for the purpose of producing the closest fit possible at the lower base ends 26 and 28 of the base structure or rocker stand. In this respect, it will be noted, as shown more particularly in FIGURE 3, that the base ends 26 and 28 are approximately one quarter round so that when the base structure or rocker stand 12 is opened, in the operational positioning of the seesaw as shown in FIG- URE 1, the base ends 26 and 28 form one half round sections which are covered with plastic or rubber facings, as shown in FIGURE 3, and which are desirable from a standpoint of the mounting and operation of the base structure 12 on any supporting horizontal surface so that the base structure or rocker stand can be easily rocked without imparting any damage or structural injury to the base structure or rocker stand 12.

The seesaw further includes a pair of body accommodating seat members of plank or sheet material construction, including the seat members 32 and 34 which have flat coplanar upper and lower faces 32a and 32b and 34a and 34b. The seat members 32 and 34 are adapted to be disposed in a horizontal or substantially horizontal position, as shown in FIGURES l and 5, when the seesaw 10 is in use, and are constructed so that they can support the body of an individual, irrespective of the weight of such individual, and will be on a straight horizontal line parallel to the supporting surface. The seat members are elongated and relatively narrow, being of a width substantially similar to the width of the upper ends of the base members 14 and 16.

To maintain such seat supports 32 and 34, which are flat and have the coplanar upper and lower surfaces in horizontal positions for use, angular brace boards or supporting arms 38 and 40 are provided and are hingedly connected between the seat supports 32 and 34 and the members 18 and 20, which constitute the base support or rocker stand.

The angular brace supports or supporting arms 38 and 40 are hingedly attached at their lowermost ends by a removable hinge construction, as will be described. The brace boards or supporting arms 38 and 40 are formed with lower beveled ends 42 and have upper beveled ends 44, the lower ends being beveled so as to engage the flat outer faces of the support planks 14 and 16, which make up or compose the rocker stand or supporting base, when the planks are in their opened, V-shaped or spread operative positions, as shown in FIGURE 5. The upper end portions of each of the brace boards or supporting arms 38 and 40 are connected by suitable hinge means, such as conventional piano hinges 46 to the undersides 32b and 34b of the relatively narrow and elongated seat boards.

4 The upper ends of the base stands 14 and 16 are connected by conventional piano hinge assemblies 48 to the inner ends of the seat boards.

However, the lower end portions of the brace boards or supporting arms 38 and 40 are connected by a removable hinge arrangement, whereby the lower ends may be completely disengaged from the base planks 14 and 16, as shown in FIGURE 8, when the seesaw is in a collapsed state or condition for transportation and storage. The hinge construction 49 is preferably of the butt hinge type and comprises complemental hinge knuckles 50 and 52 carried by plates 54 and 56 fixed to the outer surfaces of the lower end portions of the supporting arms and to the outer faces of the base planks 14 and 16, respectively, with the hinge knuckles, when in alignment, being interconnected by removable pins 58. The pins 58 are tethered by light chains or flexible cords 60 to the outer faces of the support plates 14 and 16 of the base or rocker stand, so that the pins will not become lost, when the seesaw is in a folded or collapsed state.

The inner end portions 61 of each of the elongated seat boards 32 and 34 are adapted to fit flat on the upper flat ends 63 of the base planks or boards 14 and 16, when the supporting arms 38 and 40 are in their angular positions between the open, substantially horizontally disposed seat boards and the angularly related base boards or planks 14 and 16. The inner ends 65 of the end portions 61 are beveled so that they are flush with the inner faces 18 and 20 of the angularly related base plates 14 and 16, when the plates are in their angular relationship and define the substantially V-shaped rocker stand, as shown in FIG- URE 5. Furthermore, by virtue of the end portions 61 fitting on the upper ends 63, it can be appreciated that the seat boards cannot be hinged above a substantial horizontal, coplanar position, when the seesaw is opened and is in assembled condition, as shown in FIGURE 5, so that such abutting portions constitute a stop means to limit the upward swinging opening movement of the seat boards 32 and 34.

The brace boards or supporting arms 38 and 40 have their beveled ends fitting flush against the undersides 32b and 34b of the seat boards and flush against the outer faces of the base boards when the supporting arms are in a locked position, as when the seesaw is in an erected state, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5. The supporting arms 38 and 40 lock the seesaw construction into a single unitary form and locking means 62 is provided for holding the two sections or support planks 14 and 16 of the rocker base open at the proper angle. Such locking means 62 includes an elongated solid rod 64, having transverse terminal portions 66 and 68, so that the bar is substantially H-shaped. The planks 14 and 16 are formed, adjacent their upper end portions and above the hinge constructions 49 with vertical, elongated slots 70 and 72, the slots being of a width and length to receive the transverse ends 66 and 68 of the locking or connecting bar 64, when the ends are in vertical positions so that with the ends in such positions, the ends are passed through the openings 70 and 72 and then the rod is turned so that the ends fit transversely behind the outer faces of the base planks 14 and 16, as shown in FIGURE 1, and lock the planks against outward spreading movement about their lower hinged ends and, therefore, lock the entire unit together.

It can be appreciated that the base planks or boards 14 and 16 are wider at their lower ends than at their upper ends, the upper ends being of a width substantially equivalent to the width of the rather narrow and elongated seat boards, as can be realized from a consideration of FIG- URE 1. The support members 14 and 16 which, as afore stated, may be made from wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material, have wider bases or lower end portions and taper upwardly to narrow upper ends so that they afford proper support, when the base sections are opened and locked by the locking means 62 and constitute the V-shaped rocker stand, thereby preventing the seesaw from toppling over sideways.

As can be appreciated from a consideration of FIG- URES 5' and 8, the seesaw may be easily assembled and disassembled and when in an assembled condition it will support two young children in a safe, secure and highly amusing manner, as indicated in FIGURE 1. When in a collapsed or folded condition, as shown in FIGURE 8, it can be easily stored or transported and because of its simple-construction, it can be collapsed very easily and readily and will require only a minimum space for storage.

' In disassembling the seesaw, the locking bar 64 is removed and the hinge pins 56 are removed, thereby permitting the brace bars or supporting arms 38 and 40 to fold, about the hinges 46 and 58 in towards the base supports 14 and 16 which are swung inwardly to bring their inner faces 18 and 20 into facial contact about the hinges 22 and 24. The seat boards 32 and 34 are then lowered about the hinges 48, as shown in FIGURE 8, and the entire collapsed or folded assembly is secured in such collapsed condition by a flexible member '69, which encompasses the folded seesaw and also the rod 64 to retain it in attached relationship with the outer face of one of the seat boards. The pins 56 are held by the chains or other lightweight, flexible tethering elements 60, so that they cannot become lost.

It is to be noted that the seat boards 32 and 34 have rounded outer ends 71 and that they are formed, inwardly of such rounded ends, with cutout portions or indentations 73 formed in the opposing side edge portions of the seat boards and disposed in opposing relationship to constitute handholds. Of course, any other type of handhold means may be utilized and such may be fastened to the seat boards or may be an integral part of the seat board structure.

The seesaw a, which is illustrated in FIGURES 9 through 14, is identical in construction, with respect to the supporting base or rocker stand 12, having the hingedly attached base planks 14 and 16 and with respect to the seats 32 and 34 and their manner of hinged attachment to the upper ends of the base support boards or planks 14 and 16 and the provision of the diagonally disposed supporting arms or brace boards 38 and 40. However, the seesaw construction 10a diifers from the seesaw 10 with respect to the provision of a slightly different form of locking means 76 for preventing the base boards 14 and 16 from spreading apart and maintaining them in their V-shaped erected relationship so as to constitute the V-shaped or acutely angled supporting base or rocker stand 12. The locking means 76 is adjustable and it has been found that such has the advantage that it will be much stronger so that the seesaw 10a can be used by persons of larger size and heavier weight. The locking means 76 includes an elongated rod 78, which is longer than the rod 64 but which is of H-shaped construction, so that the rod 78 is provided at its ends with transverse rod portions 80 and 82. The rod portion 80 is formed with coaxially reduced journaling ends 84 and 86 which are rotatably mounted in suitable apertures 88 formed in the upstanding cars 90 and 92 of a short channel member 94, which has its flat base 96 suitably fixedly superimposed on the upper face 32a of the seat board, adjacent the inner end portion thereof.

A channel member 94 is provided and has its flat base 96 suitably fixedly superimposed on the upper face 34a of the seat board 34 adjacent the inner end of the seat board. The opposing walls 98 and 100 of the channel member 94 are formed with cooperating slots 102 and 104, the slots 102 being formed in the opposing walls of the channel, adjacent their forward portions and being disposed in opposing relationship to receive the ends of the transverse rod-like end portion 82 on the rod 78 in one position of securement of the base boards 14 and 16, as shown in FIGURE 11. The slots are slanted downwardly and outwardly and are of the same depth so as to securely receive the ends of the locking rod end 82 of the connecting rod 78. The slots 104 are formed in the opposing walls 98 and of the channel, adjacent the rearward portions thereof and the slots are in opposing relationship and are sloped downwardly and inwardly and terminate at their coplanar lower ends in slight curved enlargements 106, which are adapted to receive the end portions of the locking rod 82. When the rod end 82 is secured in the slots 104, it can be appreciated, as shown in FIGURE 9, that the angular relationship of the base boards 14 and 16 will be more acute since they will be brought closer together and the seat boards will be in substantial coplanar relationship. In the static condition of the seesaw 10a, the seat boards will be substantially horizontally disposed, as shown in FIGURE 9. However, in FIGURE 11, the seat boards will be slanted slightly downwardly.

It can be appreciated that the bar 78 can be easily swung by virtue of its pivoted end arrangement, so as to move the locking end 82 into the slots 102 or the slots 104 or to swing the bar completely away from the seat board 34 and onto the upper face 32a of the seat board 32, when the seesaw 10a is collapsed for storage or;.transportation. Obviously, the pins 56 will be tethered by the chains 60 or similar flexible connecting elements, as shown in FIGURE 13, and the rod 781 will be pivotally anchored to the seat board 32, so that none of the elements can "become lost from the seesaw structure 10a. Therefore, while a securing means, such as the flexible encircling tying means 74 of FIGURE 8 may be utilized to hold the various parts in compact, closed relationship, during storage or transportation of the seesaw 10a, such is not absolutely required.

It can be appreciated that the seasaw 100, as in the instance of the seesaw 10, can be easily erected for use and disassembled for storage or transportation and that, when in use, will be sturdy and safe and will afford a high degree of amusement and will accommodate persons of large size and heavy weight by virtue of the locking means 76.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable seesaw comprising a collapsible rocker stand, means for locking the stand in an erected vertical condition, seat boards hingedly carried by the stand and positionable in opposite substantially horizontal directions therefrom and means connected between the stand and the seat boards for securing the seat boards in such position for occupancy by users, said rocker stand including a pair of flat base board elements having hingedly connected lower end portions and being positionable in acute angular relationship, said base stand board elements being provided with lower end portions and the base board elements taper upwardly and have relatively narrow upper end portions, said end portions being of a width substantially equal to the width of the seat boards, said seat boards being relatively narrow and elongated and are of equal width and length and have upper flat surfaces, means being provided on the seat boards constituting handholds for persons seated on the upper surfaces, said base board elements having surface engaging means provided on their lower ends, said lower end edges being provided with resilient strips which mate when the base board elements of the rocker stand are in erected spread apart relationship.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said locking means for locking the stand in an erected vertical condition comprises a cross rod interconnecting the board elements and limiting their spread apart movements and maintaining them in firm spread apart relationship.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said rod is substantially H-shaped and means is provided for attaching the transverse ends in locking relationship with the seesaw.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said base board elements of the rocker stand are provided with vertical elongated slots through which the transverse ends of the rod are passed in perpendicular positions and then turned so that they transversely engage the rear surfaces of the board elements.

5. The invention of claim 3, wherein said rod is pivotally attached to the upper surface of one of the seat boards and means is carried by the other seat board for releasingly lockingly receiving the other end of the rod.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein upstanding apertured ears pivotally receive one end of the bar and constitute a pivot connection about which the bar can be swung.

7. The invention of claim 5, wherein said means for lockingly receiving the other end of the bar includes opposing upstanding side walls provided on the upper surface of the other of the seat boards.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said walls are provided with cooperating slots for releasably receiving said ends of the rod.

9. A portable seesaw comprising a collapsible rocker stand, means for locking the stand in an erected vertical condition, seat boards hingedly carried by the stand and positionable in opposite substantially horizontal directions therefrom and means connected between the stand and the seat boards for securing the seat boards in such position for occupancy by users, said means connected between the stand and the seat boards including supporting brace arms, said stand including hingedly connected flat base board elements having hingedly connected lower end portions and said seat boards having inner ends hingedly connected to the upper ends of the rocker stand board elements, said brace arms having upper ends hingedly attached to the undersides of the seat boards and means releasably hingedly attaching the lower ends of the 'brace arms to the outer faces of the base board elements of the rocker stand.

10. The invention of claim 9, wherein said last means includes a :butt hinge construction including releasable hinge pins.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS:

357,577 2/1887 Cashin 272-56 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,340,299 4/ 1902 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner THEATIRICE BROWN, Assistant Examiner 

